Thursday, April 26, 2007

Orange & chili pepper ricotta cheese cake

Adding little heat to cheese isn't a new idea; we have been enjoying gourmet cheese with spices and/or a variety of Indian cuisines that incorporate cheese and pepper beautifully . For this cake, the fresh taste from ricotta just coos to every tastebud but is so delicate at the same time, almost like a little shy girl unwillingly stands in the spotlight, so we need some fruity note and heat to give it a kick. Don't worry about the heat; it will be all gone before you close your mouth, what only left is that refreshing orange-y and velvety milk-y taste.

Most cheese cakes baked in the pan with a removable bottom in order to release cakes easily, the size of the pan usually comes in 9 or 10 inches in diameter. But I want a much smaller cake, so I used a 7-inch pan which is actually a take-out foil container. Just tear the foil I can release my cake.

Recipe (yield: 7-inch diameter cake)

*adapted from Italian magazine casamia cucina*

For the crust, I use this dough, but you can use store-bought puff pastry

160g fresh ricotta, drained well

2 extra-large eggs

1/8 cup sugar

1 navel orange, organic preferable, thinly slice

some candied orange peel, some diced for into the cake, some stripes for garnish

1 Tbp red pepper flakes, mixed with a few drops of balsamic vinegar

some marmalade, slightly heat up (easier to spread)

Direction:

Pre-heat oven 375F

Line the pastry dough in pan, cover, keep in the fridge while you preparing the filling

Push the ricotta through a fine sieve twice. Stir in sugar, two eggs and diced orange peels. Pour the mixture into the dough, arrange some fresh orange slices and red pepper on top.

Bake in 375F oven for 10 minutes, then lower to 350F until the top feel slightly firm, about another 15 minutes. Take the cake on a rack.

When the cake is warm to touch, tear off the foil (if you use disposable foil container), brush marmalade and arrange more orange peels on top.

Girl, this has got to stop ... my keyboard is a sopping mess with drool ... if I didn't have a date with my neighbor in 30 minutes for the gym, I'd be in serious trouble to not get into this. I did a wonderful ricotta cheese cake some time ago ... it was grand ... But I love the red pepper flakes and a touch of balsamic!! That strikes me as pure genius!This is fabulous! Great photo also!

Gattina, may I ask you something? Is it better to cook cheesecake with a convection oven setting or a regular setting? It seems I have the worst luck with cheesecake...it always sinks. And now that I've purchased an oven with convection option I'm wondering if it makes a difference in a recipe like this...?

Jeoy, oh thanks! I really didn't do much on dressing the cake up, you know, just keep sprinkling :D

Windwhisperer, I am afraid I have no idea as I haven't used other type of oven except my gas oven.Besides, I haven't made many cheesecakes, only about a dozen in total.I have baked a type of cheesecake which is always sink (or I call it 'collapsed') which requires seperating egg whites from the yolk. So next whip the whites to stiff-peak stage. This type of cheese then is always sink after baked, but it is what the cake supposes to be.

Ivonne darling, I will disappoint you as it's still a sweet cake, keekeeeh.

Lis, I can't see how we go wrong with 'fresh' ricotta, even having it plain with sugar is already super!! Hope you guys will love it!

Linda, oh I am flattered, but it's a breeze to make :D

Calli, thanks buddy! I'd say the move is bold, but the rest is still very ... predictable, but in a good way :D

Rose, thanks for your sweet words! Maybe the colors help. The only work (I consider as 'work') is only that hand-pulled dough, but you can avoid it by using store-bought puff pastry.

Dilip, really thanks for the compliment! And lovely to have your visit!

Ari, I know what you mean... but after I tasted it I'm not surprised, it's just too familiar!

Yes, adding a heat to things is a great idea. I add a pinch of cayenne to things. It lifts the flavor and people don't taste "hot"--they taste "better." Love those pictures, Gattina--especially that crust. It's gorgeous. And I do love ricotta. :):)

Edith, in this recipe I specify "fresh" ricotta which I doubt if you can get it in Sg... as it isn't widely available in here either. But I'm thinking I may like trying DIY (simple ingredients and basic equipment), should we wait for that instead? Please let me know *hug*To answer your question, any substitute won't be any of the original recipe intends, sorry.

Sher, oh right, that's you!!! As while I was typing this post, I thought of someone having added cayenne in some sort of dessert, just couldn't think of who. Thanks for your compliment, I'm a bit anal in DIY-ing crust, just want to get an extra chance to practicise :D

gattina, you have inspired me to bake stuff I would usually be quite terrified to attempt. Check my blog for photo of Norwegian cinnamon rolls...and thankyou for inspiring me for the better around my kitchen!

I'm going to try this cheese cake the next few days - how did you get the crust to look so beautiful? I'm not so good at baking so I think I'll use puff pastry. It looks like you rolled over the edge to create that little 'puff'?